6. The right to be listened to

You should have the right to have complaints and feedback taken seriously and acted upon when things go wrong.

People don’t want to have to complain – they would prefer things are right first time. But when they do complain, they need a system that works and is easy to use.

“When my husband became ill I knew straight away he wasn’t right. But because it was me speaking on his behalf, I just got brushed off. I had to get him sectioned and then get help from the crisis team, they were amazing. But I had to fight.”

What this could mean in practice

If your mum is in a care home and you notice that she did not eat any of her food before it was taken away, you would report this to the home manager. You should expect the manager to put things right. The next time food is brought over to your mum, you should be able to see the difference your feedback has made.

If you are worried about the way a consultant treated you, you should be able to easily log it with the hospital and their professional body. They should investigate the complaint and inform you of their findings. If you are not satisfied with their response, you should be able to appeal their decision and refer your complaint to the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman for further investigation.

If you suspect someone is being mistreated in a residential home where your sister also lives, you should be able to register your concerns and have them investigated appropriately. You should not have to worry that your sister’s care will in any way be altered as a result of your complaint.